On 21 November 2018, court papers made public a long-running dispute that pulled Bidco Africa chairman Vimal Shah into the divorce fight between Aarti Vipul and her husband, Vipul Haria.
The filings, which run to more than 250 pages, describe a relationship that allegedly began at United States International University in Kenya. The record says Vimal and Aarti were at the university from 1982 to 1984 and “developed a relationship to the point of marrying”, but his parents “did not approve”.
The source also places the story against the backdrop of the 1981 American romantic drama Endless Love, saying the film may have been on Vimal’s mind when he met Aarti. That reference is part of the court narrative, which portrays a relationship that continued even after Vimal later married Manda Shah in an arrangement made by their parents.
According to the documents, Vimal and Aarti “maintained a relationship since 1984”. The papers further note that Vimal, together with his father Bhimji Shah and brother Tarun, helped grow Bidco into a major edible oils producer with a strong share of the Kenyan market.
Aarti’s marriage to Vipul Haria, which took place on 29 July 1994, is described in the court material as abusive. Her lawyer said Vipul “has constantly and frequently displayed a violent and uncaring attitude towards her and physically assaulted her several times”. Aarti also alleged that he insulted and abused her in India in front of their son, hotel staff and guests.
The divorce dispute escalated on 12 May 2005, when Aarti left home in a car with Vimal and filed for divorce. Vipul opposed the petition and denied ever “raised a finger” against his wife, and the matter continued for years.
In a later application dated 27 May 2010, Vipul asked the court to join Vimal and another man, Dipan Haria, as co-respondents. He accused Aarti of adultery “on occasions far too numerous to itemise” with Dipan, whom he described as a “healer” who came to attend to her back pain. The filing said, “Both locked themselves in Aarti’s bedroom in the matrimonial home and committed adultery.” In a separate court case, Aarti admitted under oath that she had a relationship with Dipan.
The papers also say Vimal and Aarti travelled together overseas between 2007 and 2010, including to Dubai, the United Kingdom and India, with the trips reflected in their passports. Vipul further alleged that the pair used the house of Vishnu Patel in Parklands, Nairobi, for meetings and exchanged “various phone calls and love messages through their telephone numbers”. One number cited in the record, 0733619444, was said by sources to still be in use by Vimal at the time.
According to the filings, the relationship was hidden through Aarti’s “pretext of employment at Bidco”, and she referred to Vimal as her “boss”. The papers also refer to a sealed envelope that was reportedly dropped at Vimal’s home and addressed to his wife, Mandra. The package allegedly contained a “booklet write up” about Aarti and copies of mobile telephone bills.
That delivery prompted a response from Oraro and Company Advocates, Bidco’s corporate law firm, which accused Vipul of obtaining “confidential mobile telephone bills”. The firm said, “An appropriate report has been made to the Kenya police for investigation and action.” Vipul’s lawyers later denied that their client was behind the incident.
The dispute widened further when an anonymous letter was sent to the chairman of the Visa Oshwal Community and copied to Oshwal Centre committee members and teachers at the Shri Chandana Vidyapeeth School. It described Vimal as “Aarti’s man of heaven” and called him “a hypocrite of first-order ignorant of Jain values of women,” while accusing him of manipulating Aarti’s emotions.
The allegations also revived earlier criticism of Vimal over claims that his conduct conflicted with Jain philosophy, which promotes an ethical and spiritual life. Media reports have previously said his pursuit of a Kenyan woman broke up her marriage and that the husband later died of a broken heart.
Throughout the dispute, the central claims remained contested: Aarti alleged abuse, Vipul denied it, and Vimal’s role was repeatedly drawn into the divorce battle through court filings, letters and claims of secret travel and communication.
Citizen Newspaper
